“On
this McHugh tribute album
Cassandra Wilson delivers
the song with an uncharacteristic
melancholia that further
enhances [Terence] Blanchard’s
lovely, lyrical trumpet” |
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- Ben
Maycock
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On
February 25, 1930,
Harry Richman introduced
“On the Sunny Side of the
Street” in
Lew Leslie’s International
Revue at the Majestic
Theater in New York City.
The show ran for ninety-five
performances, and, although
a flop, the Dorothy Fields
and Jimmy McHugh score will
long be remembered for producing
the two hits, “On the Sunny
Side of the Street” and
“Exactly
Like You,” both of which
became jazz standards.
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“On the Sunny Side of
the Street” appeared on
the pop charts first by
Ted Lewis and His Orchestra
in February of 1930.
Shortly after,
Harry Richman’s recording
(which had “Exactly
Like You” on the B-side)
climbed to number thirteen.
All told, the charting hits
included
- Ted Lewis and His
Orchestra (1930, Ted
Lewis, vocal, #2)
-
Harry Richman (1930,
#13)
- Tommy Dorsey and
His Orchestra (1945,
The Sentimentalists,
vocal, #16)
-
Jo Stafford (1945,
with the Pied Pipers
and
Paul Weston and
His Orchestra, #17)
In addition, “Exactly
Like You” was recorded
by
Ruth Etting, Sam Lanin,
Benny Goodman, and Don
Redman.
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Only Broadway’s best
were to survive during the
Great Depression, and
International Revue
was not one of them. Despite
the lavish budget, the cast
(Gertrude
Lawrence,
Harry Richman, Jack
Pearl, Anton Dolin, and
Argentinita), dance direction
by Busby Berkeley, and a
McHugh/Fields score, the
musical was not well thought
out and disappointed critics
and audiences alike. Overly
long, the opening night
show didn’t begin its second
act until 11:00 P.M. The
producers also miscalculated
the appeal of Spanish dancer
La Argentinita in her U.S.
debut. Although she would
later find international
popularity, the International
Revue audience did not
understand her dancing,
and many walked out during
her performance.
Gertrude Lawrence was
particularly disappointed,
counting International
Revue as her third flop
in a row.
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Jimmy McHugh is the published
composer of “On the Sunny
Side of the Street,” but
there is at least a little
doubt as to the song’s pre-publication
origin. There are rumors
that “On the Sunny Side
of the Street,” “I
Can’t Give You Anything
But Love,” and “If
I Had You” were originally
Fats Waller compositions,
ones he had composed and
then sold the rights to
for quick cash. Indirectly
supporting the rumors is
a document on the Rutgers-Newark
Online website regarding
their Dana Library Institute
of Jazz Studies collection
of Waller memorabilia:
[The
collection] includes
several drafts of music
in Waller’s hand. These
are basically early
attempts (first versions
or rough sketches) of
songs Waller was writing,
made in pencil on music
manuscript paper … the
collection includes
some instrumental parts
in Waller’s handwriting
(for “Walkin’ The Floor”
and “Spreadin’ Rhythm
Around”).
Though
the 1935 copyright of
“Spreadin’ Rhythm Around”
attributes the music
to Jimmy McHugh, the
fact that these parts
are in Waller’s handwriting
argues strongly that
he, not McHugh, was
the original composer
of the song (see Machlin,
“Fats
Waller Composes”,
Annual Review of Jazz
Studies 7, 1994-95,
pp. 1-24).
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The strength of “On the
Sunny Side of the Street”
is its surprising and inventive
melody. Regardless of who
wrote the music, there is
no denying the song’s tone
is cheerful, buoyant, and
bouncy. With Dorothy Fields’
casual, optimistic lyrics,
“On the Sunny Side of the
Street” was a perfect pick-me-up
for depression-weary listeners.
In spite of its occasional
characterization as a bumptious
novelty song, “On the Sunny
Side of the Street” has
been a favorite of jazz
greats, musicians and instrumentalists
since its publication.
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Musical analysis
of “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
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Original Key |
C
major |
Form |
A1
– A2 – B – A2 |
Tonality |
Major
throughout |
Movement |
The
tune soars up and down over a range
of an octave and a third, using
steps, skips and leaps. |
Comments
(assumed
background)
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For a tune with a fairly wide range
that bounces all over the place,
it is catchy and memorable. The
initial motif consists of three
upward steps and an upward skip
of a third, followed by an upward
leap of a sixth. It then cascades
downward in a series of descending
seconds and thirds. This is followed
by yet another series of upward
steps, followed by an upward sixth.
In the “B” section, the leaps
(sixths and sevenths) are downward
from the upper range of the tune,
giving it tonal balance. The harmonic
progression contains a few surprises.
It starts out with I – III7 (similar
to “Charleston,”
“Georgia
On My Mind” and “You’re Nobody
‘Til Somebody Loves You”), but,
instead of proceeding to the logical
resolution of VI or vi, it lands
on a IV (in the key of C major--this
is C – E7 – F). Following through
to the V7, it then takes another
unexpected turn by going on to III7
in first inversion (i.e., from G7
to E7/G#), creating a smooth bass
line upward on its way to vi. From
there it is a simple circle of fifths
(using minor substitutions) that
get us back to the tonic key.
“B” uses two series of
“V7-I” cycles: I7 – IV (in the original
key, C7 – F), then II7 – V7 (D7
– G7). This particular progression
is found in the “B” section of not
a few other standards and show tunes
(“Cloudburst” and “Yes Sir, That’s
My Baby” are two examples). Sometimes,
minor substitutions are used; for
example, in the key of C, Gm might
be inserted before C7 going to F,
then Am, before D7 going to G, creating
a “ii – V7 – I” variation of this
progression.
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K. J. McElrath - Musicologist for JazzStandards.com
Check out K. J. McElrath's book of Jazz Standards Guide Tone Lines at his web site (www.bardicle.com). |
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The positive
attitude of this song attracts me. (Get
out of the shade! The glass looks half FULL
from the other side of the street!) The
lyric and the music are light, jovial, playful--“can’t
you hear that pitterpat....” Again, a consistent
feature of all great songs is that the words,
not in just content but in meter and flow
of the phrasing, reflect the melody, as
this one does. (Another great example of
that is “Willow Weep for Me” where melody
and lyrics almost seem shaped like a willow
tree.) The harmonic changes of “On the Sunny
Side” may be old-fashioned, but they’re
not as predictable as some. There’s a lot
of room for invention and exploration. Dizzy
Gillespie did an alternate set of lyrics
(which are a ball!) on a recording he did
with Sonny Stitt and Sonny Rollins.
Robert Moore, vocalist,
trumpeter, harmonica player, songwriter
www.romomusic.net
Are
you a published Vocalist or Instrumentalist?
Add a comment and we'll credit you with
a link to your site.
(more...)
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“On the Sunny Side
of the Street” was included
in these films:
- Is Everybody Happy?
(1943, Ted Lewis Orchestra)
- Nobody's Darling (1943)
- Jammin' the Blues
(1944, Marie Bryant)
- On Stage Everybody
(1945)
And on stage:
- Lew Leslie's International
Revue (1930, Harry Richman)
Broadway revue
- Swing Parade of 1946
(1946)
- Two Blondes and a Redhead
(1947, Tony Pastor Orchestra)
- Make Believe Ballroom
(1949, Frankie Lane)
- Sunny Side of the Street
(1951, Frankie Laine)
- The Benny Goodman Story
(1956, Benny Goodman and His
Orchestra)
- The Eddie Duchin Story
(1956, Tyrone Power dubbed by Carmen
Cavallaro)
- The Helen Morgan Story
(1958, Ann Blyth dubbed by Gogi
Grant)
- The Gene Krupa Story aka Drum
Crazy (1959)
- The Silencers (1966,
Dean Martin)
- Sugar Babies (1979,
Mickey Rooney, Ann Miller)
- Micki and Maude (1984,
Frank Sinatra)
- Another Woman (1988,
Teddy Wilson)
- Texas Tenor: The Illinois
Jacquet Story (1991)
- J.F.K. (1992, Sidney
Bechet)
- A League of Their Own
(1992, Manhattan Transfer)
- Father of the Bride, Part
II (1995, Steve Tyrell)
- Stuart Saves His Family
(1995, Jack Sheldon)
- Mrs. Winterbourne
(1996, 1-Shirley MacLaine, Ricki Lake;
2-Sophie B. Hawkins)
- Lucky in the Rain
(1997) Connecticut
- American Splendor
(2003, Lester Young, Oscar Peterson
Trio)
And on television:
- Carnivale (2003, Lionel
Hampton) HBO drama series, Season 1,
Episode 4 "Black Blizzard"
- Frasier (2003, John
Mahoney, Wendie Malick) "Freudian Sleep"
Season 11, Episode 14
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Click on a CD for more
details at Amazon.com
Sidney Bechet
1949
2001, Melodie Jazz Classics
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Clarinetist/soprano saxophonist
Bechet leads the band here, infusing
the song with a wonderful New Orleans
flavor and plenty of interweaving
horn play. |
Nicholas Payton
Dear Louis
2001 Verve/Universal
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The listener is thrown slightly
off-kilter with this highly inventive
version by trumpeter Payton. His
arrangement makes the song almost
unrecognizable as vocalist Dianne
Reeves plays with tempo and harmony. |
Diana Krall
Stepping Out
1997, Musicrama 706192
Original recording, 1992, Justin
Time
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While “On the Sunny Side
of the Street” is a bonus track
on Krall’s debut album, the song
is a welcome addition. Krall’s wonderful
vocal delivery and dynamic, rollicking
piano make the song a highlight. |
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Vibraphonist, drummer and vocalist Lionel
Hampton, by the late 1930s, was a star member
of the
Benny Goodman Quartet, and his prior
credits included work with
Louis Armstrong.
RCA Victor persuaded Hampton to organize
all-star groups for a series of impromptu
recordings. The results were almost always
amazing. Hampton’s keen sense of talent
enabled him to pick musicians who might
never have recorded together. In 1937, a
group that included
Johnny Hodges,
Duke Ellington’s star alto saxophonist,
recorded “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”
Hodges’ lithe, soulful alto playing (based
on the New Orleans soprano saxophonist Sidney
Bechet) was the hit of the session, and
the tune became a regular part of Hodges’
repertoire.
Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian
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This section shows the
jazz standards written by the same writing
team. Click on a name to see all
of a writer's jazz standards.
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Additional
information on “On the Sunny Side of the
Street” may be found in:
4 pages including the
following types of information: anecdotal,
performers and sheet music.
1 paragraph including
the following types of information:
history and performers.
1 page including the
following types of information: music
analysis.
1 paragraph including
the following types of information:
summary.
1 paragraph including
the following types of information:
history and performers.
1 paragraph including
the following types of information:
film productions, history and performers.
Includes the following
types of information: song lyrics.
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